Tlalis
Tlalis is a ice-locked kingdom to the far northwest of the Land. The Tlalisians have a large population of nearly two million, making it the second-largest kingdom in Ingtandel. Tlalis is heavily militarized and has one of the largest militaries in the six kingdoms. Short, stocky and pale-skinned, the Tlalisians are just as cold as the environment they live in, showing little hospitality for outsiders and scorning the company of those outside of their family circles. Tlalis is completely covered in ice and snow year-round and is considered one of the most difficult terrains to live in. The six cities of Tlalis are spaced so far apart that rarely do they interact with one another, making them incredibly isolated. The Tlalisians hunt deer, moose, ermine, snow hare and lynx, relying completely on meat for survival. The Fiorin River, which crosses the entirety of Tlalis, is filled with trout and salmon, but only the cities of Isslyne, Käll, and Bevriezen enjoy their bounties, being the closest cities to the river itself. The reigning king of Tlalis is currently Igor Siln, a short, stocky, pale man with "hair as black as night and eyes as dark as shadows". Siln lives in the city of Bevriezen and is the only king in Tlalisian history to be engaged to a woman outside of his own kingdom; to strengthen the ties between Tlalis and Ciryatan, Siln proposed to queen Gelsara Au'Tepet's daughter and was engaged to her for nearly six months before an Ai'gyran seer took to the girl's bed, making her unfit to marry. The Tlalisian flag depicts a wolf against a blue background; the royal crest also displays this image. Appearance Tlalisians are known to be short and solidly built, with broad shoulders, shorter arms and legs, and barrel chests. They have pale, grey eyes and ashy brown hair. Culture Because the Tlalisians live in such cold, wintry conditions, culture has been reduced to familial circles. The Tlalisians live in stone-built houses in small but compact communities, and keep much to themselves. The cold harshness of the lands that they live in have frozen their hearts and as such the Tlalisians are incredibly mistrustful, scornful, and hateful of outsiders and those not within their own families. A man and his wife rule the household, with their brothers, sisters, children and grandchildren enjoying less lofty positions of power. Normally an entire family will live together in compact but warm quarters. Children are rare in Tlalis; because of the cold, very few families believe it wise to have children, but in the warmer months of June and July more children are born than any other time of year. Children lose their innocence early; embittered by the cold and harsh conditions, they become just as cynical as their parents and often stick close to them for comfort and understanding. Inbreeding is often among Tlalisians because of the strong ties that many families hold dear. The city of Sábor is the largest in Tlalis, home to over twelve thousand inhabitants; it is here that the Tlalisian Army is trained and housed, and the king himself trains his soldiers in the art of combat and killing. Those that wish to enter the Tlalisian Army must travel extremely long distances in dangerous territory to reach Sábor, and thus the Tlalisian Army rarely sees men from Aladil, Sumitia, Agyras, and Isslyne. Tlalisian soldiers are trained in the harshest winter conditions and become ruthless in their trecherous homeland, thus making them incredibly efficient warriors. Even though Tlalis is a small kingdom, many other countries fear the brutality of the Tlalisian Army and its king. Tlalis has only one god; Augos. Augos is the god of the seasons; because the Tlalisians believe he can control the weather, many sacrifices and prayers are held in his honor, hoping to warm his heart and end the winter that grips the land. Those that break Tlalisian law are often blamed for the continuity of the winter season and are executed without question or trial; as such, there is very little crime in Tlalis. Thousands of statues depicting Augos exist in Tlalis, and each of them is tended to meticulously to avoid insulting the god of seasons. Language The Tlalisian language is rough, harsh, and oftentimes loud. Tlalisians, used to yelling over the whirlwinds of snow and ice that grip the country, often speak in loud, angry voices even when they are not upset or frustrated. The Tlalisian alphabet contains all twenty-six phonetic letters, but the language favors consonants over vowels. Hierarchy The Tlalisian hierarchy varies depending on the city. In Sábor, Fiorenze, and Mordis, the king controls most of the law and culture; in Sumitia, Aladil, Agyras, and Isslyne, the culture is dominated by families because of their isolation from the main population of the country. The king alone rules his closest cities; he hires assassins to take care of those that disobey or speak against him, and personally attends all executions of lawbreakers, creating a great fear amongst his followers. Igor Siln's family mean little to him, but to appease them he gives them petty positions of power over small portions of the cities, although all must answer to him and him alone in the end. Afraid of death, most obey the word of Igor Siln religiously and consider him the supreme ruler of Tlalis. In the farther cities, mountains and trecherous weather often protect the people from Igor Siln's tyranny. Although mercenaries often travel the lands to spread the king's word, very few Tlalisians in the more western cities feel Siln's wrath.